Conflow

Hi Guys, Hi John, I have been reading this thread with great interest and I note that most replies are quoting "Trade-Names" and forgetting the crucial Laptop and/or PC Specifications particularily those specs needed to run any form of Streaming Video or Slideshows or RAW Imagery Rendering all of which are extremely demanding in terms of data throput. For serious Video work the ideal Laptop/Desktop PC should have at least the following Specifications:- * Dual-Core +2 Gb. Processor with Heat-Pipe Cooling with XP-Pro/SP2 and Upgrades (Not Vista). * Data-Buss Speed of at least 677 mB/Sec, better still with 800 mB (Extreme). * 2 Gig of RAM with Read/Write Speed matching the Buss Speed (crucial). * Good Video Card such as the NVidia 7950 GTX. * Good Hard-Drive, choose 7200 RPM type, anything much lower than 6000 will cause Read/Write problems with RAW Imagery and TV.Video Everything else is a matter of personal choice and what utilities you need. At the end of the day its all to do with Read/Write Access Speed between the Processor + Hard-Drive + User RAM. If any of these are below "par" the PC will run slow and choke the Processor and and as usual the Video Card will be blamed. Hope this gives you some idea of basic PC selection Specs for good Video performance... Brian.Conflow. P.S Majority of Laptops have Hard-Drives operating around 4000.rpm and they are NOT good with Video.

Mike, I just jotted down a few calculations for 1300 Slides @ 200kB per Slide + 1300 Transitions (presumed) with 40 millesecs between each is really starting to over-stretch the Read/Write abilities of a good 560mB Ram Memory (User Memory) even a 1gB Memory will start to feel the pain. To achieve good stability I personally would put a lower limit of 100mS for transitions between Slides. This to allow enough time for the Processor to Read/Write within such a large Data Field ~ it is big ! That's only my opinion ~ other's may try and go to the Wire. But at the end of the day there is a limit to the Read/Write Speed of the PCs Databus which has nothing to do with the Processor Clock Speed. It's been my experience if you 'overload' the internal PC Databus the Processor will 'interrupt' and most likely it will default to 'clear' ~ this was very common with old '95 and '98 and I see no reason why the same would not happen with more modern PC's. It might be the reason you lost the File... Hope this helps... Brian.Conflow.

Albert, Thanks for the reply, its appreciated and I would really appreciate that "Test" because a few things have come to light about Vista Memory Leaks....more later on. Tesco Discs are not the best, they also sell them here in Ireland but I have never been happy with the product ~ they are O.K for General & Music use but for anything else ??? The best CD-Discs are:- Imation ~ Memorex ~ Traxdata ~ Verbatim and TDK. 700Meg Size/80Minutes Play.. Max Recording Speed:- 52X ~ but best results are achieved at 24X Burning Speed. May I suggest (to save a few bob) that you get on line to www.maplin.co.uk and look at their On-Line Catalogue. They usually have the best Prices for the best products and they have Stores through out the UK, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. Example: 50 CD-Discs (Make:-TDK)- for £15 thats 30.Cent each and lots more. Here below is a "Link" to Maplin, just click on it, and then enter CD-Discs in Search Window. http://www.maplin.co.uk Brian.Conflow.

Albert, Yep, you got it right with the "Reply Button" ~ its saves so much space ! Back to the Vista, I very much appreciate your elation in getting that Vista to behave itself at last ~ and your Shows are now O.K ~ congrats on that one. I knew if the Memory-Pen didn't work you had a serious problem, thankfully it does work and you can get ahead with your Photography and PTE Shows. Now back to this "CD Problem" ~ We proved that the CD-Drive is O.K and the Vista P.C is O.K and the Video Card is O.K so its back to this damn CD. Questions ** Did you Burn the Shows on to a "ReWritable CD" or on to a "DVD" ? ** When you Burnt the CD-Disc what writing speed were you using ? I would very much like to get answers to the above questions as they may throw some light on this 'mystery problem' and they may circumvent future problems when you decide to Burn another CD in the future. Regards, Brian.

Hi Albert, I just spotted a duplication of my last Post, you may have been trying to reply to it but your reply was not Posted. To prevent 'duplication' of source Posts see the "Attachment" below, simply click on it. Brian.Conflow.

Hi Albert, I had a funny feeling that this might happen, the fault is now replicating itself even when the Shows are played from the Vista Hard Drive ~ So that eliminates your CD-Disc Drive. There is only one thing in common the CD-Disc itself, but you said thats plays O.K on your XP Computer? Would you re-check that fact again because things are now getting serious. Consideration.1 If it's true that the CD plays on your XP ~ I'm afraid you have a Vista problem or a Video Card problem. Consideration.2 It may be that the new Video Card is not set-up properly or may be defective, but you had this problem with your old Video Card, its doubtful that both could be faulty running a plain simple PTE4.42 Show on a Vista unless Igor knows something that we don't. Consideration.3 It could also be a Vista PC problem, in particular it could be a leaky RAM Memory, that is not uncommon. If it was my PC I would buy a 1.Gb (USB) Memory Pen (about £10) from Argus or Maplin. Plug that into any free USB Socket on my XP. Start the XP and within a few moments it will recognise the Memory Pen. You will find it when you double Clk "My Computer" ~ it has a square box Icon (lettered E~J) right click on it and from the drop-down Menu send a Shortcut to the Desktop. Now go and select a Show that you know to be perfect. RH.Clk on the Show and "drag it" into the Memory Pen then select 'Copy' from the drop-down Menu and it wll record the Show to the M-Pen. When finished RH.Clk the Pen and select "Eject" and remove it from the XP. Go to your Vista PC and plug in the Pen, then open "My Computer" and find the Pen-Drive. Double-Clk to open it and then select your Recorded PTE Show. ** If the Vista PC is O.K that show should run perfectly from the Memory Pen. ** if it "fails" get down to the Shop and ask for your Money back or demand a New Vista PC. ** Under no circumstances agree to have the Vista PC repaired it will never be right. Let me know how you get on... Brian.Conflow.

Albert, Yes I have got the picture ~ this problem is intermittent and seems to happen in a random way with each of the 8 Shows ~ No:8 Show being more effected that the others and you are running the Shows from the CD-Disc solely. At 1st. assumption it seems to be a dicey CD-Drive or the CD itself may be dirty or has a small scratch on its playing surface, check carefully as "Combo CD Player/Burner Drives" are ultra critical to CD defects more so than simple CD Player Drives. Now for some Tests. 1) Insert any Commercial Music CD -play this- and listen very carefully and see if there are any "skipped" Tracks or "jumps" within the Music on any Track. If this happens the CD Drive is in trouble. 2) If all is O.K with the Music CD remove it and reinsert your PTE CD. Do not Play the CD simply double-click on the "My Computer" Icon on your Desktop and find the CD-Drive in question. 3) Double click on the CD-Drive Icon and the CD-Disc will open up. Now you need to drag the Shows from the Disc into My Documents with the RH.Mouse Key then select-->Copy-->them into My Documents. 4) When the job is done, play each Show individually from "My Documents"- you are now Playing these off the Vista Hard Drive. Now check each in turn for defects -if any- take some Notes . Let me know how you get on ?.... Brian.Conflow.

Albert, Let me see if I have got this right ?...You have 8.Shows which run O.K on your XP-PC and 7 of these run perfectly on your Vista-PC...except for "rogue" Show number 8....is this correct ? Just a few questions ~ space provided for answers between lines:- 1) How are you running these 8.Shows on your XP ~ From the CD ? ...OR...from the XP Hard Drive ? 2) On the Vista-PC are you running the "Pte Shows" from the CD-Disc after inserting it into the CD-Drive? 2) Or are you "dragging" each individual Show on to the Vista Desktop Screen and running it from there ? 3) Or are you loading the contents of the CD-Disc on to the Vista PC and then running them off the PC ? 4) If you are loading the CD-Disc on to the Vista-PC how are you doing this ? or are you depending on the PC to do that for you ? 5) You do not say which version of PTE you are running on your Vista PC ~ or indeed do you have PTE installed on the Vista PC at all ? 6) What type of Music Files do you have in each Show ? ~ Mp3,Wav,Wma or what ? Some more specific detail would be most helpful in trying to resolve your issues...particularily concerning Show No:8...How many Images ?...what size is the largest Image ?...what are the Music Files ? Brian.Conflow.

Colin, In answer to your query, There are 5 distinct situations as described below:- 1) Autorun Programs are implanted into a CD-Disc in order to make it run properly when the CD is inserted into the CD-Drive, this is somewhat like a Music CD which starts playing when inserted into the CD-Drive. 2) Yes the Autorun can start a primary PTE Exe on a CD within which you can have many other Exe's which can be manually selected from a simple Menu or alternatively the primary Exe can activate all the other Exe's in sequence with a pause before each and you can have a Start Screen on each with a Run and Exit Button. 3) Memory-Pen Autorun:- Currently I am searching for a 'Mass-Storage Autorun Program' which will emulate the same working factorials as those found on a CD-Disc with autorun. This would allow the same functionality as one would experience with a PTE.Exe Program running from a CD-Disc with autorun. I have an experimental Program up and running but I need to find a Commercial program for comparison purposes. 4) Item 3 (above) would give the PTE Slideshow a spectacular performance as a consequence of freeing it from the 'speed-stability-constraints' and the memory constraints imposed with a mechanical CD-Drive System. 5) I have done many Test's on Laptops running a 35mB Show (inc Music) running directly from a Memory-Pen and as you know many Laptops run perfectly with a Memory-Pen compared to the CD-Drive where they freeze-up. Hope this is of some help to you... Brian.Conflow.

Hi Igor, Yes, you are absolutely correct ~ the problem does not occur when the EXE is downloaded from the Internet nor when extracted from a Pdf.File. I think this is because the PC recognises the "Parent-Child" association as the Internet is part of the Op System and a Pdf.File is a Universal Document Transmission format, again a "Parent-Child" association. In fact when the 'Host PC' has an origional PTE Exe installed on it or the PTE Program itself, the problem never occurs because again of the "Parent-Child" association. The problem mostly occurs when user's simply "drop" the Pte.Exe File on to the Desktop or into the Op.System and in many cases this "Hangs" the PC when the File has runs and then closes. I think if the PTE Exe had a Universal Dat File or Application pointer installed within its Code which self-executes during the Show this would resolve the problem....that's just a thought, but you can't please everybody. Brian.

Peter, Please read my Post again very carefully ~ I said "Closedown and then Restart your PC" so the PTE.Exe will be registered to the File of Types. Futhermore when you use Task Manager to close a Program you are actually involking a "Mini-System Reset" which is a fast Restart. As I said the Task Managers on older PCs may not work when compared to the new Vista version. Memory-Pens have come a long,long way in the past 2 years so has the USB Technology which runs them. Modern XP-SP2 and indeed 2000-SP1 and Vista PCs have an advanced USB Root Hub which treats Memory-Pens as external Hard Drives with all the associated advantages of Hi-Speed Replay from the Pen itself. Vista may auto-create a 'File of Types' for the contents of the Memory Pen but I can assure you the converse is not true when dealing with XPs and 2000s ~ these need a Restart to register a File of Types entry into the Registry. Auto-Start Programs:- I have posted on this subject many,many,times before and I included a Snap-Shot with my last Post as to what it looks like and a Note as to what the Files do and how they register the PTE Exe to the PCs' File of Types. Whereas a simple 'self-written' autorun script pasted into the root of a CD-Disc to make it run will not necessarily register the Exe to the 'File of Types'. Now having said that...You don't know what PC you have at your disposal in the Camera Club and other PCs elsewhere, but you do want the PTE Exe to run on ALL PCs you come across. There is only one way of doing that, create a Folder like the example I gave previously and load your Exe plus the 3 additional Autorun Files into that Folder. When you encounter any PC simply load the Folder into it and it should auto-start and auto-run the Program without 'hanging' the Host PC. Here below is a "Link" to a comprehensive 'Auto-Run Program' which will execute properly on all PCs. Link:- http://www.rjlsoftware.com Brian.Conflow.

Hi All, I have this problem on an 'intermittent' occasion where a 'PTE Slideshow Exe' has been imported from another PC or Laptop via a Memory-Pen and sometimes from a CD-Disc. I made an investigation and traced this back to the PC Registry and found the following:- When you 1st. import and then run a 'self-contained Exe' some Windows Systems fail to 'un-hook' from the Program Exe even thought the Program itself has shut down. (Win '98se- Win 2000 -Win Xp) Getting back to Windows ~ Windows is designed to generate a 'File of Types' entry into its Registry for every loaded Program, but it can only do this if the Program is designed to make an entry when first loaded on to the PC. Otherwise it requires a 'Close-down' and then a 'Re-Start' to do this job effectively. However when you 1st.Load and then 1st.Run a 'self-contained Exe' no entry is made to the File of Types so Windows will 'hang' because it recognises a Foreign Exe but it has no corresponding 'File of Type' reference to start the initiation of the Exit/Excape function....so it hangs there waiting for a Restart sequence. Note.1:- It happens 98% of time on Host PC's with no PTE Program and no Autorun was used. Note.2:- Task Manager won't work because there is no reference 'File of Type' to shut down. Remedy:- Shut-down your PC and Re-Start or alternatively us a proper 'Auto-Run Program' which uses the PTE Icon and generates proper .Dat Files so that 'File of Type' is registered ~ then no problems ! Brian.Conflow. (See sample below)

Hi All, Here is something new from "EphotoZine" ~ A new "self-admin" system of Lo-Cost Websites for Photographers from as low as £35 p.a thats about $70 p.a or in Euro it is approx €56 p.a. That's low cost for a professionally designed Site with full Client Support and Easi-Upload utilities. ~ In fact it's all done for you ~ Screenshot below and direct link to the Clixpics Company who are hosting these new sites. Brian.Conflow. P.S If you look-up the 'Sample Web-Sites' look at the Emma Tumman Web-Site ~ Brilliant !!! Link:- http://www.clikpic.com

COPYRIGHT ~ General Principles. The American Media Moguls have made great play about 'Copyright' for some time now, but in the past few years both the European and American Legal Systems have agreed basic rules whereby these Moguls can no longer dictate the Law in contravention of basic human rights in terms of "Products and Services" supplied and sold by them and subsequent use of these "Purchased Products" which include any Disc or Tape Media and indeed Printed Media. The Basics 1) You can not Copy for Resale ~ Media Products for your own Personal or Business gain ~ that's Piracy. 2) You can use up to 30 seconds of any Media in a Personal Recording with an enclosed EULA. 3) You can not copy/use any "Artistic Creation' from a 3rd party (that includes personal A/V Media) without the Authors written permission. 4) In Europe and in the States you are legally required to include a EULA within the A/V Media if this is for personal distribution (non-profit or otherwise) and most certainly for Business Distribution purposes. 5) A "EULA" is an 'End-User Licence Agreement' which is implanted within the Media which acknowledge's the origional Authors of that Media (You) and any Contributors to that Media, ie:-Creative Media and/or other Software used in the production of that Media, this whether a "Fee" has been paid/unpaid or waived. This is recognised by ALL Copyright Associations worldwide. 6) A "EULA" set's the premise that no Copyright infringement was intended and rightful acknowledgements were made to 3rd party Contributors, consequently no deliberate "Illegal Act" of Piracy took place. 7) Finally, "Usage Fees" are proportionate to the end-usage of the Media whether that's Personal or Business or Full Commercial Distribution. Example:- Personal Copyright Licence in England/Ireland and most of Europe is approx Euro 30 per year and I assume the same is available in the States but not generally publicised. I hope this has been of some use... Brian.Conflow.

Hi Peter, I'm not too sure what type of Maps you are trying to capture ?.....Are these Ordanance Survey Maps or Satellite Panoramic Maps ? or Google Earth Maps or Microsoft Maps or AA Maps. I ask because I also had problems with Map Screencaptures. Some capture very well, some don't, but having said that I came up with some 'techniques' which have proved successful but they depend on the type and printing method used to reproduce the Map and your Monitor settings before you capture. Let me know what type you are trying to capture... Brian.Conflow.

Lin, Just to avoid confusion and clarify a small item for the Readers, You said Quoted:-....PTE scr files are just renamed executables. The easiest way to do what you want is to put all the scr files in a folder together then rename each to "filename.exe".... I know that Lin means...'Put all your Personal ScreenSavers in a Folder'....However be very careful:- DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES put an Op.System Screensaver in this Folder. I make this point to avoid Reader mis-interpretation of Lin's suggestion. Brian.Conflow.

SkiBum, To the best of my knowledge there is no 'automatic way' of doing what you ask. Even domestic TV Sets have to be set manually to show the default Program in its origional Image Format. The same applies to Digital Camera's and Projectors and advanced PC Video Cards. I note that your TV Format is 16:10 ~not Standard 16:9~ the best compromise for 4:3 and 16:9 ratio's is actually 4:5, so in fact you already have the best compromise. Brian.Conflow.

Al and Ken, Screensaver Files are special System Files with extension .scr ~ These Files are usually hidden from view as they are part of the Op.System and reside deep down in C\WINNT\System32 and also within Upgrades such as those within C\WINNT\ServicePakFiles\i386 and also C\WINNT\SystemFiles...very dangerous territory !! Each and every one is a single 'Op System executable' and they CAN'T be run in Slideshow Mode for the reason that the Microsoft Start Screen and many other Microsoft Screens are in fact Screensavers. However there is a 'pseudo-way' of doing this by creating a "special .scr" which triggers an external Exe which may be run as a pseudo 'ScreenSaver-Slideshow' ~ very much like the Object Editor in PTE. You would need someone experienced in Microsoft Code to write a small routine embedded within an .scr Image to do this job for you. The File size is about 150kB without your (external) ScreenSaver-Slideshow. Brian.Conflow.

Hi All, The Forum has been very quite for the past 2 weeks and I expect it's that time of year when we all look back in review and start to think of new concept ambitions for next year and invariably Cameras come to mind!......Shall I buy a New Camera ?.....could it be a Digital SLR ?? Here below is an excellent article from CNet.Com which is aimed at Professionals and Dabbler's alike.. It's all about Digital SLR Cameras, titled:- DIGITAL SLR BUYING GUIDE Screenshot and Link below Have fun ~ but allow at least an hour to read this ~ it's very informative. Brian.Conflow. Link:- http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7603_7-6241014-1.html?tag=dir

Frank, Its nothing to do with PTE. nor "Internet Explorer", you sent yourself an EMail with 'Attachment' so your problem is with "Outlook Express"..... Open Outlook Express:- Select-->Tools-->Options-->Security Tag-->then Uncheck the Box shown in the Attachment below. Every time Microsoft releases a 'System Upgrade' they check this Box...its most annoying ! Let me know how you got on. Brian.Conflow

Bohemia, Simple answer ~ everything related to ANY Slideshow must be contained within a 'Root Folder' (Mother Folder) That include Images AND/OR Copy Images -Music Files AND/OR copy Music File, etc. ~ and everything MUST be saved to that Folder even the finished Exe.Slideshow. In your case the Program is looking for Images/Files which it can't find because you have moved/removed them... If you remove any Image or Sound File you must Re-Save your work prior to making an Exe, otherwise you are asking the PC to find an Image or File which doesn't exist ~ which it can't do ! Brian.Conflow

MACS and WINDOWS Simon and Veronica, Not going 'too-techie' on you there are many articles on the Web about the New Mac OS.System 10xx and the new compatibility between iMacs and Windows. Google:- "Apple-Mac and Windows" There are many major changes on the way in the PC Industry which has stagnated somewhat over the past years ~ not the least being the new partenership between Microsoft and Steve Jobs of Apple who are hell bent on bringing the two Systems together, because...(1) Vista Home is facing collapse of its Market and (2) Apple products iMac -iPod -iPhone are looking for a much broaded market base for its products and (3) Intel and its Dual & Quad Core products are thinking of going-it alone with their own PC and (4) ACER have just bought Gateway PCs for $710m plus some Hewlett-Packard divisions. Intel have an interest here. ACER is now the Worlds 3rd largest PC Manufacturer behind IBM and Dell. With reference to iMac's and Windows Systems compatibility, no there is not a lot of 'Public Info' about this that's why I told you..."go see a Mac Vendor" or else delve into the Technical Specifications of the iMac and see for yourself or alternatively suscribe to www.zdnet.com (Newsletters) ~ it's all there. I briefly mentioned 'Safari' ~ iMacs Web Browser ~ actually it's a lot more than a Browser, its a complete Web-Engine capable of Browsing/Converting anything into Mac Format including Windows IE and OE and visa-versa (too techie for here). One thing is very certain, Vista Home will undergo very radical changes within a year much akin too SP-2 for the XP Op.System. Unknown to most SP2 was virtually a complete re-write of the XP.System. See 'Link' below and Screenshot. Brian.Conflow. http://www.icthubknowledgebase.org.uk/macandwindows

Veronica 2, Can you give a little more detail,for example:- Is this a once-off-job' ? ~ or will it be a repetitive activity on a single Mac PC ? ~ or on multiple Macs ? The reason I ask is quite simple, If its a 'once-off' job then better to follow the previous advice given above. For older Mac's which are going to be in contineous use with PTE then you can purchase "Parallels" a program which allows Windows Applications to run on various Mac Models. New iMac.20's or iMac.24's will run Windows Applications directly because of their on-board 'Safari' Utility. You can check this out by bringing a PTE Show to any Mac Vendor and ask them to prove their claims ! Brian.Conflow.

Hi Ron, Following on from my B&H PhotoVideo suggestion (above) and knowing that you're a guy who gets things done...Pop down to Lidl or Aldi or Woolworths and pick up a 'Roller Flight Case' which come in all sizes from £20. (Make sure it has an alloy frame and alloy telescopic handles) then go to B&Q and pick up a 4'x4' piece of ¼" WP.Plywood (WP:Waterproof) and some Resin-W and a lenght of quadrant ¼"x¼" Beading. Chop up the WP to fit into the case, and glue Beading into the corners ~ line the Camera Section with Sponge. Now you have an Airline go-anywhere 'custom-made' Roller Case built for the job. Doing it this way means you can 'tailor-make' the compartments to suit your Camera Hardware. Sounds like a good Saturday afternoon project... Brian.Conflow.

Yo Ken - that's too much like maintainance !!! Brian.Conflow.